Recording chart device



Dec. 8, 1936. G SCHgLLY 2,063,126

RECORDING CHART DEVICE Filed April 10, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F|G.4.FIG-.5.

1936- c. G. SCHELLY RECORDING CHART DEVICE Filed April 10, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Mum g Flaw 3 Dec. 8, c G EL Y 2,063,126

RECORDING CHART DEVICE Filed April 10, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 PatentedDec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to recording chart devices, and with regard tocertain more specific features, to devices of this class for maintainingan automotive lubrication schedule.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofa compact and unitary automotive indicating and recording chart devicewhich is simple and foolproof in operation; the provision of a device ofthe class described in which a complete lubrication history may bemaintained with minimum effort and which is tamper-proof. Other objectswill be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are illustrated two of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is an end view of one form of the device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the closed device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an end view of an operating tool;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the tool shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the device open;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bottom of the device, taken from the leftof Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail showing a hinge;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section taken on line l0lll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section taken on line lI-ll of Fig. 6;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail showing a locking feature;

Fig. 13 is a cross-section taken on line I3--I3 of Fig. 12;

Figs. 14 and 15 are views similar to Fig. 13, showing alternativepositions of certain parts;

Fig. 16 is a trimetric view of a shutter;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of certain bearing plates;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary view of a bottom plate;

Fig. 19 is a detail showing a roll mounting;

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing an alternative form of theinvention;

Fig. 21 is a plan view of said alternative view;

Fig. 22 is a side elevation of said alternative form;

Fig. 23 is a trimetric view showing details of certain springs used insaid alternative form;

Fig. 24 is an enlarged cross section, said view being taken on line 2424of Fig. 21, parts of certain rolls used in said alternative form beingshown in elevation;

Fig. 25 is a cross section of the alternative form showing the same inopen position;

Fig. 26 is a plan view of a record chart; and,

Figs. 27 and 28 show alternative chart forms.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral l abase plate having a turned-up end 3 and lateral guides 5 for slidablyreceiving lateral extensions ll of an index carrier 1, the latter beingformed with a central raised housing 9. The extensions ll cooperate withthe guides 5 for guiding the index carrier 1 from the closed positionshown in Figs. 1 to 3, and 10; to that shown in Figs. 6 to 8 and 11. Theindex carrier 1 is provided with an arched, raised bottom I3, which isspaced inwardly so as to clear a back stop l5 of said base I.

The purpose of the stop I5 is two-fold; (1) to provide a reaction for aleaf spring I! carried on the carrier 1 (below the bottom l3) to causethe device to tend to spring partially open when a certain latch isreleased, for releasing the index carrier (Figs. 8, 10 and 11); and (2)to provide an engagement with a lug 19 of a shutter 2| when the indexcarrier I is entirely opened.

The shutter 2| is generally shown in Fig. 16 and comprises a blind 23having exposing slots 25 and an exposing edge 26 therein. The lower edgeof' the blind 23 is turned over to form a bearing lip 21 which isslidable on an offset 28 in the bottom wall l3 of the index carrier (seeFig. 11) The bearing lip 21 has a forward tongue 29 which extends out ofan opening 3| in the index carrier. The lug l9 extends downwardlythrough an opening 33in the bottom 13 of said carrier. The opening islonger than the lug l9. The blind 23 lies against a vertical wall 35 ofthe index housing, said housing having four slots 31 in said wall 35corresponding to the slots 25 and edge 26, so that in the closedposition the shutter may be moved to cover said slots (Fig. 3) and inthe open position the slots are uncovered (Fig. 7). This movability isalso shown in Fig. 11. From the above it will be seen that when theindex carrier 1 is pushed into its closed position, the tongue 29 willcontact with the wall 3 to force the shutter 23 back so as to cover theslots 31 in the wall 35 of the index housing I. On the other hand, whenthe housing 1 is drawn into its fully open position, the lug |9 strikesthe wall and the shutter is drawn relatively forward to register theopenings 25, 26 on one hand and 31 on the other.

The purpose of the registry above mentioned is to expose certainwrench-engaging portions 39 of pintles 4| in the housing for engagementby the wrench end 43 of an opening tool 45, but only when the indexcarrier is in the open (hence unlocked) position. The pintles 4| arerotatably mounted and arranged in pairs of slots 41 in side walls 49 ofan integral U-shaped member having a bottom 5|. The bottom 5| isfastened to the bottom l3 of housing 1 and forms a covering over theoffset 23 to complete the bearing in which slides the bearing lip 21.The blind 23 is thus guided between one wall 49 and the wall 35 (Figs.1, 11 and 19). The slots 41 are in sunken portions of the wall 49 sothat the shutter 23 clears the wrench-engaging portions 35, and thebearings on the other ends of the pintles 4|.

The pintles 4| are placed in the slots 41 in pairs and are provided withslits 53 for anchoring wound paper strips 55. The winding is in such adirection that a length of paper forms rolls on both pintles of a pairwith a reach 51 therebetween, the tangent portions of the paper at 59engaging frictionally under action of a pressure spring 6| normallypressing the respective pairs of rolls so that the upper tangent 63 ofeach pair is positioned against transparent material such as isinglass61 under a viewing opening 65. The paper strips 55 are provided withnumerals, serially ordered, the progressive values of which diifer bythe number 100", starting from zero.

Each opening 65 is indicative of a different item to be attended toabout an automobile, such as changing motor oil, changing differentialoil, lubricating a chassis, and/or changing transmission oil (Fig. 2).It is deemed thatone-hundred mile steps simplify the settings and are ofa small enough order that proper lubrication periods can be therebydetermined, in view of the associated chart, to be described. Theappearance of a given numeral at an opening indicates at what mileagethe respective work is to be done.

When the blind 23 is in the position shown in Fig. '7, thewrench-engaging portion 39 may be reached by the tool 45 (which may beplaced on the end of a pencil or the like) and settings are-made. 'Afeature of the roll 55 is that the frictional engagement at 59 causesthe roll from which paper is being drawn to be braked as the roll towhich paper is drawn is turned. Thus the rolls are always kept in atight condition when manipulated by tool, 45 at the portions 39.

Withinthe base l'is a hinge rod 69 upon which is hinged ametallic coverH for covering a sheaf of paper or like chart leaves 13, the latterbeing folded in pairs over a wire 15 which is clipped to the hinge 69. Aspring 11 normally forces the cover TI to the open position shown inFig. 11 when the index housing 1 is drawn open. When the index housingis forced shut (Fig. the cover II is forced down to close over theleaves 13. When open, the cover "H and the back form a rigid support forthe laying down the leaves 13 so that they may be written upon.

The index housing 1 is maintained in a closed position on the back I bymeans of a lock, indicated generally at numeral 18 and comprising inparticular a support 19 for pivoting a latch 8|.

The pin 8| is not only rotatable in the support 19 but slidable therein.A spring 83 has one end hooked to the support and the other to an eye 85on the latch 8|. The tension and position of the-spring is such as tonormally rotate said latch counterclockwise (Figs. 11, 13, 14 and and todraw the latch to the left (Fig. 12). Thus an offset end 89 of the latchis normally pressed against the inner side of the portion N (Fig. 12) ofthe index casing I. This side II has a struckup ear 9| over which thelatch shaft offset 89 may ride as the index casing is closed. This isdue to the fact that the latch shaft 8| may move to the right againstthe reaction of spring 83 (Fig. 12). Thus when the index housing isclosed, it is latched and locked shut (Figs. 12 and 13).

As shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15, the height of the ear 9| is such thatit contacts with the offset 89 when said offset 89 is down as in Figs.12 and 13. Said ear may pass under the offset 89 when the tool 45 isapplied to'the end of the latch 8| to turn the same to the positionshown in Fig. 14 wherein the offset portion 89 clears the ear 9| so thatthe spring (Figs. 8, 10 and 11) becomes effective to incipiently movethe index casing down from the base As is shown in Fig. 7, the end ofthe latch 8| is also provided with a wrench engaging portion 93 fittingsaid wrenchsocket 43 so that the same device 45 that operates the rollshaft 4| may be used to open the device.

In order that the wrench engaging portion 93 may be reached, a circularopening 95 is placed in the respective bottom guide 5'and an elongatedopening 91 in the respective portion. The reason that the opening 91 iselongated is to permit a partial movement of the index housing whenunlocking so that the ear 9| may move under the offset 89 from theposition shown in Fig. 13 through the position shown in Fig. 14 to thatshown in Fig. 15. The portion 89 returns to'the depressed position shownin Fig. 15 by reason of the action of the tension spring 83.

Complete opening of the device (after the partial opening) is effectedby holding the base in one hand and drawing down the index housing 1with the other until engagement'between the lug I9 and the wall l5causes opening of the shutter. In Fig. 11 the final position of theindex housing is shown somewhat returned from the maximum open position,in order that the dottedline position of the shutter 43 (including lugI9) may be noted.

The character of the indicia on the leaves 13' is shown in Figs. 26, 27and 28. Each leaf has on it main columns marked T, indicatingprogressions of even one thousand mile intervals; hundreds, indicatingprogressions of even hundred mile intervals; M indicating a motor oilchange operation; C, indicating a chassis lubrication operation; asecond T indicating a transmission oil change operation; and D,indicating a differential grease change operation; and, a main columnindexed initia for identifying the one who does the checking after agiven lubrication operation.

Within the main column marked hundreds are secondary columns carrying.progressively from left to right digits indicating said hundreds ofmiles in progressions of whole hundreds.

Within the main column marked MCTD are secondary columns for therespective indexes (C), T, a d n The thousand mile interval progressionsare in main tiers crossing all columns. These main tiers are subdividedinto secondary tiers under the hundreds MCTD and initial headmgs- Thepurpose of the secondarytiers is to accommodate a shift from one tier toanother in the hundreds progression at a digit which is at least oneless than the minimum value of the progressive steps to be charted. Forinstance, in automotive lubrication, a five-hundred-mile interval ischosen as the minimum in the progression. In the chart shown in Fig. 26,the shift from one tier to another is made at the three-hundredmileinterval and in Fig. 27 it is made at the fourhundred-mile interval(both less than the predetermined minimum five-hundred-mile interval).In both of these forms of the invention (Figs. 26 and 27) the zero digitis used in the hundreds, secondary columns. 25,000, a check mark must beplaced over the digits 25 and over the zero digit; whereas if the chartof Fig. 28 is used (wherein there is no zero digit) merely the digits 25need be checked for such an indication.

It is to be noted, however, that an indication for, say, the mileage28,000, may be made merely by checking the zero digit in the tierdesignated 28.

The advantage of the form shown in Fig. 27 is that only two secondarytiers are necessary, although another secondary column is necessary. InFigs. 26 and 28 an extra tier is necessary but one secondary column iseliminated. The form of the chart shown in Fig. 27 is the easiest tocheck in view of its symmetrical appearance.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that motor oil was to be checked at25,500 miles and the chassis was also to be lubricate-d at that mileage.Differential oil was to have been checked at 28,000 miles and thetransmission oil at 30,000 miles. A sample checking on Fig. 27 has beenapplied to indicate that the work forecast in Fig. 2 has beenaccomplished. It will be noted that in view of the use of secondarytiers to prevent digits greater than four from appearing on the sametier as digits less than five, no two check marks need ever be placed inthe same space under the heading MCTD. Cooperative in this result is thefact that the primary column M CTD is subdivided into the secondarycolumns. Thus the record cannot be confused, as it could be if the shiftin the numbers from one tier to another were made at or above the digit5. The principle employed is that the shift from one tier to anothershall be made at a digit which is lower than the digit which indexes theminimum mileage interval.

A feature of the chart per se is its compactness, the same being formedin leaves, each of which carries folded over the wire and printed onboth front and rear. Six thousand miles are covered per page of eachsheet and twelve thousand mile per sheet.

The operation of the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 19 and 26 to27 is as follows:

The motorist carries the device in the closed and locked condition shownin Figs. 1 to 3 and 10. The face of it indicates when oil changes are tobe made. Assuming that the time has arrived for making a change, hedrives to an oil station at which the attendant carries the opening key45. This is made convenient to the attendant, because the key may beassociated with a pencil which is used for marking the record. Theattendant makes the proper changes, inserts the key 45 as indicated inFig. 2, gives it a slight 1 turn tethrow the offset 89 f-romthepositionshown Thus, to indicate an even.

in Figs. 12 and 13 to that shown in Fig. 14, whereupon the spring I!starts the index body 1' to slide from the base I. Thereafter the bodyis grasped with one hand and the base with the other and pulled to theposition shown in Fig-..

11. The shutter 23 exposes the wrench engaging portions 35 of a shaft4|, whereupon-the proper' paper rolls may be reset to predict the timein which the next change is required. The attendant' then indicates, asshown for example in Fig.

27, the changes which have been made and this.

becomes a permanent record made by the attendant. Then the attendantrecloses the device and. gives it to the motorist who is provided with aforecast of when the next change is due and continuous record ofprevious operations. Unauthorized tampering With the settings. isinhibited by the closure of the shutter over the wrenchengaging portion35 and of course the leaves I3 are locked in the base.

An alternative form of the invention is shown in Figs. to 25. In thisform the back 93 is hinged at 95 to an index housing 91 with a spring 99normally holding the housing closed. The leaves 13, with suitable heavyfly leaves IDI, are hingedly clipped in position in the back 93as shownat I03.

The index housing is formed with a raised portion I05 accommodating aninverted U-shaped support I0! having spacing ears I09 fitting intorecessed portion III. The U-shaped member I01 carries bearing recesses II3 for shafts I I5 having wrench engaging ends 1. Suitable openings H9are placed in the portions III to permit entry of the opening tool 45.In this form of the invention no shutter is used.

On each shaft is a plurality of three rolls. Roll I2I carries threedigit, index numbers, representing intervals of a hundred. This roll ispinned to the shaft II 5. The second roll I23 carries the thousandsdigits and is freely rotatable on the shaft I I5. A third roll I25carries the digits representing tens of thousands and is also freely.

rotatably mounted on the shaft II5.

A relatively light crow-foot spring I 21 reacts from the central portionof the roll I23 to the central portion of a recess I29 in the roll I23to the peripheral portions of a recess I3I in the roll' I2I. A heavier,crow-foot spring I30 reacts from the central portion of a recess I33 inthe roll I25 to the peripheral portions of a recess I35 in the roll I23.

From the above it will be seen that when the tool is applied to thewrench-engaging portion I I1 (Fig. 24) that changes of digitsrepresenting hundreds may be made merely by rotating the shaft I I5. Ifchanges of digits are to be included to represent thousands, the shaftH5 is pressed endwise until serrations I31 about the recess I3I- contactthe corresponding serrations around the recess I29. Thus the moving rollI2I picks upand moves the roll I23. If digits representing tens ofthousands are also to be changed, a further pressure will bring theserrations I31 around the recess I35 into contact with the serrationsaround recess I33. Thus by rotation and suitable endwise pressure, theattendant may make. a setting selectively as he chooses. It is to beunderstood that if finer degrees of changes are to be made, that thepresent set of digits may consist of the tens, or even units. However, Iconsider that a change of three digits on the first roll to be changedis preferable and in any event I consider that the initial change of amultiple number of' digits. independently of single digit.

changes is advantageous. Frictional engaging surfaces or the like may besubstituted for the serrations between rolls.

The rolls I2I, I23 and I25 are provided with ten flat faces (one perdigit, including zero) so that by pressing them against the transparentmaterial I39 behind the openings I4I, they determine for themselves adetent reaction, under action'of pressure spring I42.

It is intended that the form of the invention shown in Figs. 20 to 25shall fulfill a demand where it is not desired to have the attendantonly in possession of the key for operating the device, but wherein themotorist may make the change himself. This is accomplished by leavingthe wrench-engaging portion II'I always exposed for operation.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, record leaves hinged insaid back, a cover also hinged therein and adapted to expose said leavesin open position and to hold them shut in a closed position, means fornormally biasing said cover to open position, an indexing head slidableon said back, said head automatically closing said cover when moved toclosed position on the back and permitting opening of the same when thehead is moved to open position.

' 2. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, record leaves hingedin said back, a cover also hinged therein and adapted to expose saidleaves in open position and to hold them shut in a closed position,means for normally biasing said cover to open position, an indexing headslidable on said back, said head automatically closing said cover whenmoved to closed position on the back and permitting opening of the samewhen the head is moved to open position and means for locking said headclosed.

3. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, record'leaves hinged insaid back, a cover also hinged therein and adapted to expose said leavesin open position and to thrust them shut in a closed position, means fornormally biasing said cover to open position, an indexing head slidableon said back, said head automatically closing said cover when moved toclosed position on the back and permitting opening of the same when thehead is moved to open position, index means in said head, key-engagingportions associated therewith for index operation, and a shutter adaptedto expose the key-engaging portions when the head is thrown open and tocover said portions when the head is in closed position.

4. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, a record chart in saidback, an indexing head slidable on said back, index means in said head,key-engaging portions associated therewith for index operation, and ashutter adapted to expose the key-engaging portions when the head isopen and to cover said portions when the head is closed.

5. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, a record chart in saidback, an indexing head slidable on said back, index means in said head,key-engaging portions associated therewith for index operation, ashutter adapted to expose the key-engaging portion when the head is openand to cover said portions when the head is closed, and means forlocking the head closed on the back by means of the same key thatoperates the index means.

6. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, record leaves hinged insaid back, a cover also hinged therein and adapted to expose said leaveswhen the cover is in open position and to thrust them shut when thecover is in closed position, means for normally biasing said cover toopen position, an indexing head slidable on said back, said headautomatically closing said cover when moved to closed position on theback and permitting opening of the same when the head is moved to openposition, index means in said head, key-engaging portions associatedtherewith, shutter means adapted to expose the keyengaging portions whenthe head is open and to cover said portions when the head is closed, anda lock operable by the key that operates said indexing means adaptednormally to lock the head when it is in closed position and to releasethe same, but permitting free reclosure and lock ing without the use ofthe key.

'7. Recording apparatus comprising a hollow back, a record chart in saidback, an indexing head slidable on said back, index means in said head,key-engaging portions associated therewith for index operation, ashutter adapted to' expose the key-engaging portions when the head isopen and to cover said portions when the head is closed, and a lockoperable by the key that operates said indexing means adapted normallyto lock the head when it is in closed position and to release the same,but permitting free reclosure and locking without the use of the key.

8. Indexing means comprising a pair of adja-v cent shafts, slotted meansfor rotatably and slidably mounting said shafts, a strip of flexiblematerial wound on the same in the same direction on both shafts, andhaving a tangent reach between windings on the respective shafts, andmeans normally pressing the shafts toward one another, whereby saidrolls frictionally engage one another adjacent said reach.

9. Recording apparatus comprising an indexing head, a slidable backthereon adapted to slide open and shut, means in the back adapted to beexposed when the back is open and contained when the back is closed,means for looking said indexing head in closed position, an indexingmeans in said indexing head adapted to be operated by a predeterminedkey, and a shutter adapted to expose said indexing means for resettingwhen the indexing head and the back are relatively open and adapted toprotect said indexing means from tampering when the head is closed withrespect to the back.

10. Recording apparatus comprising an index head, a back associatedtherewith, a record in said back adapted to be exposed by opening theback, index rolls in said head, and key means for setting said indexrolls whereby there is available in one device indexing means andrecording means.

11. Recording apparatus comprising a shaft, bearings for said shaftpermitting rotation and endwise movement, a fixed roll on said shaftcarrying a plurality of index digits, at least one other roll on saidshaft through which the shaft rotates and moves endwise freely, meansfor normally biasing said rolls from one another. and

roll and the adjacent movable roll and also between said movable rolls,the biasing means adjacent the fixed r011 being weaker in its biasingeffects than that between the movable rolls, whereby a triple digitadjustment for indicating hundreds may be made by rotation of the shaft,and digit adjustments made for thousands and tens of thousands may bemade by rotating the shaft and predeterminately pressing it so that saidfixed roll is moved toward the movable rolls. 10

CYRIL G. SCHELLY,

